IBF seeks clarity from TRAI on carriage fee provision

NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) today lauded the new tariff amendments in the cable sector brought out by the telecom regulator but sought clarity on the provision for "carriage fee" which, it said, was crippling broadcasters.

"The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) lauds the initiatives taken by the I and B Ministry and TRAI in bringing about much needed reforms in the cable sector," a statement issued by the IBF, which comprises 52 broadcasters with over 235 channels said.

"The tariff amendments and the new Interconnect regulations for Digital Addressable Cable brought about by TRAI will inject necessary transparency across the value chain," the statement said.

The broadcasters' body also said that through consumer friendly measures like choice of packages and introduction of Basic Service Tier, TRAI had ensured that subscribers of varied socio economic background are duly taken care of.

"A big area of concern for broadcasters is carriage fee. The broadcasters have taken up this issue in various discussions with the TRAI and the Government in the past," the IBF said.

"Carriage fee has crippled various broadcasters, especially the smaller sized companies, and it has restricted a broadcaster's ability to invest in content and other activities of a channel," the Federation said.

The broadcasters body said that "there is an urgent need to revisit this issue and IBF will seek clarity on this matter from TRAI."